


All Hallow's Eve

by girlscout



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, I fucking killed him, M/M, Text post writing prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 11:22:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19084015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlscout/pseuds/girlscout
Summary: James and Lily receive devastating news about who the traitor in their midst was, but at least their son is safe.





	All Hallow's Eve

James was fast asleep in the old rocking chair in Harry's nursery, glasses slipping off the tip of his nose, nestled into a wild knit jumper he'd had since school. Lily's parents had brought the chair for them, a family heirloom, when she fell pregnant, he'd watched her sit in it for hours; singing, reading, softly cradling her growing bump. His son had been crying, and James had hauled him out of the cot and into his lap, rocking them both in the chair, until Harry's tears dissipated and he'd drifted off again. He'd only meant to sit back down for a minute, watch his beautiful boy sleep, but it was closing on 3am when he jerked awake.  
A tapping against the nursery window; James slid his round, wire-frame glasses back up and pulled his wand from the pocket of his pyjamas, he barely parted the curtains to look out. A tense breath he hadn't realised he was holding hissed from between his teeth as he saw the owl silhouetted against the glass.  
Tap tap, tap tap. It rapped with it's claw until James unlatched the window, glancing to check the cool night air didn't disturb his peaceful baby, and took the tiny square tied to it's leg.  
He rubbed his eyes wearily, scanning over the letter. His heart skipped a beat, Dumbledore's elegant letters told an ugly tale.  
They'd known for some time that there was a spy in the Order, someone feeding information about their plans, their key players movements, about him and his wife. A seer had given a prophecy about a baby boy, born mid summer, who would bring down Voldemort once and for all, and word had reached the Order that Voldemort had taken this prophecy to mean Harry. He and Lily had been in hiding with their baby, for weeks.  
The letter brought news that the traitor had been caught, on their way to give Voldemort their location.  
The parchment slipped from between's James' fingers.  
_How could he? How could he do this? Their best friend!_  
"Lily!" James shouted, scooping Harry out of his cot once more, "Lily, get up!"  
Her eyes were huge and terrified, she shuffled into the hallway of their little home. "What is it?"  
"We have to move."  
It wasn't safe, Dumbledore had said, they didn't know yet how much information the spy had already passed on. Lily didn't question him. She pulled her housecoat on, and lugged a bag - she'd packed it weeks ago, with clothes and essentials - from the cupboard. One last item, she opened a drawer and removed a cloak that moved as though it was made of water, the shimmering distracted a disgruntled Harry as Lily threw it over the three of them.  
Invisible, with Harry in one arm and the other wrapped around his wife's waist, they disapparated, not knowing if they'd ever be able to return to their home.  
Their slipper covered feet landed in the damp earth outside Hogwarts,. James stepped out from under the cloak, cooing to the baby as Lily stuffed the cloak away again. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore opened the gates to them, and the Potters hurried in.  
Remus was waiting for them, pale faced and swathed in a dressing gown of his own, up in Dumbledore's office.  
"You're safe." He sighed, voice cracking, as James folded into his arms. "Hello little man." He planted a kiss in the tuft of dark hair sprouting on Harry's head.  
Remus looked as unnerved as they felt. Dark circles beneath his eyes, pale face from being dragged from his bed.  
"Who found him out?" James asked, turning to Dumbledore and the matter in hand.  
"I can't believe Pete would do this to us." Lily's voice came weakly, she took her baby and held him close.  
Dumbledore was pouring four large measures of fire whiskey. "Who do you think? Kingsley, of course."  
"Did he get him? Is Pete -"  
"He's alive, or there abouts."  
"Just about? What did Kingsley do?"  
"Not Kingsley, he's been given to the dementors." Lily gasped. "Dear ones, there is something else I must tell you. Kingsley did not reach Peter first."  
"Who did?"  
Remus let out a small whimper.  
Lily, ever perceptive, scanned over his tear-stained skin, the redness surrounding his dark eyes. He couldn't look at her.  
"No -" She whispered.  
"James, please sit down -"  
"Who got to Pete first, Albus, tell me!" James had been pacing, now rounded on his former teacher.  
"Sirius -" Dumbledore said with a heavy heart, "there was a stand off, Peter tried to run."  
"And?"  
"And Sirius stopped him." Dumbledore took a steadying sip, "there were witnesses. They were muggles but from they said, we understand Sirius chased him down, on a muggle street, firing curses at him. He was screaming, mad with the betrayal, asking how Peter could do this to you - "  
James gave a sort of growl, of approval.  
" - they said he kept lashing out, wounding Peter, and his anger built and built until, it seems, he abandoned his wand and used his fists. That's when it happened."  
"What?"  
"James, I think you should sit down."  
"What happened?!"  
"Peter used his advantage over Sirius, being wandless, to attack - to fire his own curses."  
Dumbledore watched sadly as the realisation crossed James' face.  
"Where is he?" James now turned to Remus, who had wrapped his arms around his knees, tears escaping. "Where's Sirius?"  
"Oh, James." Lily's sobs filled the room. Her heart broke for her husband, his friends had been his family. Sirius even more than the others, they had been like brothers. "He - no." James' gaped, it wasn't true. He shook Remus' shoulder, "Where is he, Moony? Where's Pads?"  
Remus shook his head. "He's gone."  
Lily's heart broke too, for Remus. Dear Remus, kind and sweet, so closed off to the world until he had met Sirius, who sat here now knowing he had lost the love of his life, and all the energy within him seemed to have drained away at the thought of facing such loss.  
"No!" A tear spilled over, James dashed it away, furious. His face darkened, setting hard with determination. "Peter did this, he took him - "  
"He's already paid for his crimes, James. The dementor's kiss is fate worse than death."  
Perhaps it was worse to linger on, not dead, but not truly living, with no soul. But he, James, now had to live with both of them gone. Two friends. He'd lost the two of them in one fell swoop.  
"No," he said again, sinking to his knees, "please don't let this be true."


End file.
